"No, no, no, no," he whispered, catching her in his arms, rivers of scarlet flowing down her arm. "Come on baby, look at me," Joker grinned but it wasn't genuine.

Lin giggled but then sighed mournfully. "Told you I'd be right back, didn't I?"

"You did." He replied while lovingly caressing her cheek, ignoring the bright red streak left behind. "And nothing will take you away from me ever again."

The dark-haired woman looked up at him from hooded eyes, shaking her head. "It's written in the stars," she told him sadly, "and the stars never lie."

"I'll change the stars!" he told her and she wanted to believe him, oh, how she wished it was true. "No, no, listen to me, Linnie. I. Will. Change. The. Stars." The Joker was getting angrier with each word, glaring at the scientist the group kidnapped. "Fix this!" he seethed. "Fix her!"

"Hey," she whispered, grabbing his hand. "It's fine. We all knew it would happen eventually. I can only hide in the shadows for so long until they come to collect what they are owed." Lin coughed weakly. "I just need to rest for a second.

Joker looked at her pleadingly. "You can't leave me like this, I just got you back."

"Leave? I would never leave you, just like the moon doesn't leave the sun and Spike doesn't leave Anna. Forever together, never apart," she breathed out. "I'll be fine when we get home."

Time seemed to slow down for them but for the rest of the people it was frantic as ever - bullets flying everywhere, the dying screams of men and women alike filling the cold air around them. Frost was helpless as he watched his boss plead with the woman he loved while she slowly but surely lost her hold on this world. One second at a time. Time was going to tear his friend away from him and the world would never be the same if it did.

He walked over to them, each step feeling like one step closer to death. His, Joker's, Lin's? He wasn't sure. With a volatile boss and a dying friend it might go either way. Could he go on without them?

Frost fell to his knees next to them, noticing the way neither of them noticed him - too caught up in each other. There was a puddle growing steadily under her and he winced at the sight of it. Who would want, no, who would dare to hurt her? Blood coated her chin and Joker's once pristine white shirt. She looked ethereal like this, her own blood dripping down toned arms, a content smile on painted lips and soft, loving eyes firmly placed on the love of her life. Reunited at last.

Finally she seemed to notice him, head slowly turning to face him but even that small motion made her wince.

"Frostie?" she asked weakly.

"Hi," he whispered.

The Joker went back to running his hands in her hair, combing through the mess, whispering harshly under his breath. Frost went years without ever seeing him cry but now in the span of two weeks he had seen his boss break down more times than he could count. The normally confident man was usually seen slumped over his desk or standing in an empty room, arms curled around his stomach as if that was the only thing holding him together as he stared into nothing.

"You're going to be okay," Frost tried to sound confident but his voice broke, betraying the war in his heart. "We're going to fix this. Together."

She smiled softly, placing a bloody hand on Joker's cheek, the man leaning into her touch, soaking up all the attention and affection she would give him. "I'd like that. But it's too late, already I can see them in the shadows, pale hands stretching out to me. You know I don't want to go, right?" Lin seemed desperate in her words, slurring and tripping over them. "I would never want to leave."

"Then don't," he was equally desperate, clinging to naive hopes.

"It's not up to me anymore." Lin sighed.

"You're not allowed to leave," Joker demanded, voice rough with tears. "Eh, kitten? Us, forever?"

"Always and forever." She reassured the man, leaning her forehead on his.

Joker cuddled her closer to his chest, rocking them both back and forward as soft sobs took over him. He hopelessly brought her closer, clutching the back of her shirt with one hand and the other pressed against the back of her head, fingers woven in her soft hair.

"Are you in pain?" Frost found his voice again, desperate to hear her voice again so he knew she wasn't gone.

"No," she answered before being shushed by the man holding her.

"Save your strength," Joker cooed to her, smiling. "We're going home and it's going to be back to normal. I've missed you so, so much."

The helicopter was turning but the bullets kept coming, the soldiers not giving up on shooting them down. It creaked and shook but remained up, carrying the broken pair and their close friend. They were all trying to keep it together but much like the city around them they were breaking and burning.

"I've missed you too," Lin whispered back, trying to smile but it came out as a pain filled grimace as she groaned softly. "I'm fine," she told Joker when he fussed over her. "I'm fine," she said again, softly this time. Too softly, for Joker's liking.

"Keep those pretty eyes on me."

"You always were such a drama queen," she chuckled. Maybe she was dying but it felt like a piece of her was returned, like a part that was kept under lock and key but finally allowed to join the puzzle. Was death what it took to become whole again? A few precious minutes of completion before being torn away from her loved ones? Recovery came at a high price but she wasn't ready to pay it.

A tear ran down Frost's face and he didn't wipe it off. He felt like he couldn't move, only watching helplessly as she struggled.

"Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me," Lin started, eyes closed, face resting in the crook of Joker's neck. "I don't regret a thing and I would do it all again if it meant having just one minute longer with you."

"Don't talk like that!" he growled before laughing in the way that only a broken man could. "Don't say goodbye when you're not going anywhere!"

She ignored him.

"And you, Frost, you're the best friend anyone could ever want. Your loyalty and kindness are... are," she coughed, "never mind that. I couldn't have done it without you," Lin gripped Joker's hand tighter, "we couldn't have done it without you. You are the best of us, never forget that."

"I don't want to say goodbye," he whispered to her, staring at the floor. Frost didn't want to watch as she slowly got worse and the light dimmed.

Lin laughed, and even though she was one foot through the door of death it was still the most beautiful sound they had ever heard and it pained them to think it might be the last time they heard it.

"Then don't. Think of it as a see you later," she joked but she wasn't fooling anyone. Lin was tired, so very, very tired.

With the last of her strength she lifted her head just enough to kiss Joker one last time, a mere touch of her lips on his before she fell back. "I love you," she whispered to him and smiled.

Just as her eyes began to close the helicopter lurched to the side, throwing her out of Joker's arms. He leapt to his feet, eyes wild as she was flung out of the helicopter. He ran to the opening, hand over his mouth as a fresh batch of tears flooded his red rimmed eyes.

Lin was gone.